DALLAS—Texas Baptists distributed free Bibles and signed up children at George W. Truett Elementary School in Dallas for free school uniforms through a partnership with Dallas Baptist Association.

The uniforms provide practical help for Truett families, but the volunteers offered much more. They provided affirmation someone cares about them and—more than that—God loves them, participants noted.

“As Texas Baptists, we like to talk about ourselves as being deeply rooted—deeply rooted in missions, yes, but we’re also very deeply rooted in doing ministry,” said David Hardage, executive director of the Baptist General Convention of Texas. “And that ministry for us starts right here in our own community.”

More than 1,000 students are enrolled in Truett Elementary, making it one of the largest elementary schools in the state.

“Because 96 percent of Truett’s students are from lower-income families, we really wanted to ease the parents’ financial burden of purchasing school uniforms in addition to school supplies,” said Jana Jackson, Dallas Baptist Association’s director of family and community ministries.

“We were so blessed to have the opportunity to work with Texas Baptists to provide more than 300 uniforms to students. God provided an extra blessing when about 200 parents accepted a Bible from us. We’re praying that those Bibles will be read in homes and that God will use them to help people know who he is.”

Principal Jonathan Smith thanked Texas Baptists for supporting the school. Second Baptist Church of Dallas members served snow cones. Volunteers from Ferguson Road Baptist Church provided face painting and made balloon animals for the children. New Creation Baptist Church set up a block party trailer that included inflatable bounce houses.

Associational staff members are committed to serving as reading buddies for students. Members of First Baptist Church in Dallas have pledged to help landscape the school.

The start of a new year means new beginnings for each of the students at the school, Smith said. The school’s buildings are to be remodeled. Now churches are helping students.

“The uniforms are an opportunity for our students to identify with a greater school culture,” Smith said. “For some of our families, these uniforms mean so very much in difficult times that we’re in today.”

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